Get non ethanol gas for your gas equipment if you can.. a few stations in our area carry it. Definitely helps the situation too.

depends on snow load. we have the biggest tracked model you can get as we measure snow in feet, not inches (local joke).

Thanks for the info! I will keep this in mind. Can’t beat that depreciation schedule!! :)

Very curious how this works. If the waves are cancelled, how are they reaching the ear?

Honda is the best - reliable and durable, but pricey.

Some of the electric ones have improved so if you want simplicity and totally low maintenance, maybe look at an EGO’s 2 stage blower. They share batteries with their lawn mowers so you can use the same batteries year round.

Well, I bought both tractors and the snowblower used. I want to say I had 22 or 24 hp tractors? Pretty powerful. They’d still chug a little like the one in the video if you really pushed through heavy wet snow. I think bercomac has recommendations for power and that limits the width of the snowblower you can use? BTW, husqvarna and other tractor makers make their own snowblower attachments. But I’ve never used one and in the spirit of the sub the Berco snowblower was BIFL. Super thick gauge steel. I bought some sheer pins and a spare belt and some transmission oil but it would take a lifetime to break or wear out anything important on it. I was very happy with my Husqvarna tractors too. Pretty sure I sold all for the same amount or more than I paid after years of use!

Holy shit @ that video! That's no joke!!

How much is that setup? My Deer rider mower is just their entry level ($2,000) model. Not sure if that is adequate? Model is the E110.

https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/lawn-tractors/e100-series/e110/

https://www.lowes.com/pd/John-Deere-E110-19-HP-Side-By-Side-Hydrostatic-42-in-Riding-Lawn-Mower-with-Mulching-Capability-Kit-Sold-Separately/1000368403

Not been my experience. Got that and the mower. They rock. Got a hedge trimmer too. Works great. Perhaps you aren’t keeping an eye on the battery or storing it in a suitable area?

Oh and only use non-ethanol fuel

It's quieter because it produces opposing soundwaves or something to that effect, essentially canceling out the loud noises. A google search can explain it better than I can. But those sound waves are still hitting your ears.

Thanks!!

I hadn’t considered this! Just what I needed to hear! Thank you thank you.

Glad to help. Noise cancelling is not gonna do it. You will absolutely need over the ear, ear muffs. These things are definitely louder than a Deere. Over 85db.

Our driveway was 150' x 8' plus two parking spaces and took a solid hour with our 8hp Ariens. Obviously the lighter the snow the faster you go. The deeper and heavier the longer it'll take.

Also about the slicer bar I spoke of, if available, it helped the most at the end of the driveway where we'd get plowed in.

Lastly, don't be surprised if you start being charitable and removing the super heavy stuff for your neighbors.

Keep the questions coming.

Also, make sure to have any maintenance done end of season and a check before next season.

Run the gas take till empty at the end of season . change oil and plug begining of every season. Keep extra sheer pins on hand and use stabil in the gas.

Some units might need gearbox greased etc. Check owners manual. Take care of any chips off the paint asap to me prevent rusting.

There were some drawbacks:

1. It sucked to convert from lawnmower to snowblower and back twice a year. Especially in the fall. Had to use the lawnmower to suck up leaves until right before the first snow, so the switchover was always cold, the lawnmower deck weighs a ton (as does the snowblower), the rubber bands that gave the tire chains tension were hard to manipulate. It got to be such a pain I eventually bought a second tractor so I wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. And then we moved! LOL
2. At least with my setup, the snowblower could only lift a couple of inches off the ground. My driveway was pretty flat but if you have much incline be aware that this might be an issue.

But if I had to do it again I’d definitely go that route. So much easier physically and faster, since the snowblower was 45 or 50” wide!

Not my video but here’s a good idea of how it works:

https://youtu.be/yReUExpxNS0

I feel like based on that experience and the comments from others about pretty big ones and three stage ones, the answer is probably not.

It is a slight annoyance to me that more stuff isn't high-power electric and corded, for the right application it's great and saves the inconvenience of charging batteries and you can draw more power.

Highly advised to run it dry. Better yet, run it dry with some ethanol-free gas on the last run of the season. It's the only method I've ever found that works every single time.

Ahh that’s a good idea, and if I didn’t already have so many projects, I’d probably do that!

Really? It seems much quieter. Can you explain?

I wouldn't be too concerned about the width. On a 50x60 area, you will do 23 long passes with a 32" and 26 passes with a 28", so it's not a significant difference to me. My main concern would be how far it can throw the snow, which requires power. If it cannot throw it 25 feet away then you will have to move the same snow twice instead of just once. And if you have to send it diagonally to your own property instead of sideways to the neighbor's parking then it needs to throw even further (also higher because snow banks get taller over the course of winter). Your main regret would be to have bought something under-powered for your needs.

Just keep in mind, noise canceling headphone don't actually offer any protection.

If you're mechanically handy, used snowblowers that need a carburetor clean or a shear pin can be found all over Craigslist in my area. Complete bolt on replacement carbs can be found for $25 on eBay. I paid $100 a few years ago for a 28" Craftsman that's an absolute monster, took about an hour to fix everything wrong with it.

That's what I do, haven't had any issues.

Thank you! If I use Stabil, will can I avoid running it dry?

I bought an Ego brand weed wacker over the summer, and I've not been happy with it. It's underpowered and I regret the decision. I liked the idea of not having combustion exhaust in my face, but it feels like the tech is not there yet.

Run the gas tank dry at the end of every season to prevent the (ethanol) gas from rotting the lines and going bad in the tank. Check oil level every time before you use it.